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Doji Raigu
Doji Raigu was the son of Doji Mizobu and later Champion himself. Together with Bayushi Atsuki and Shiba Gaijushiko he led the Gozoku and kidnapped Hantei Fujiwa's son Hantei Kusada in 391. Demeanor Raigu was a cool man who rarely smiled and almost never laughed. While he was never friendly he was always polite. As lord of the Crane Raigu was demanding and uncompromising without being cruel. Great Clans, p. 55 Emperor blames the Crane In 375 the Emperor Hantei Fujiwa had condemned the Crane and Lion Clan for failing to support the Crab against the common foe of the Shadowlands. Mizobu shamed himself with his open fury over the Emperor's policies at the Imperial Winter Court. Imperial Histories, p. 43 Gozoku Rise of the Gozoku In 376 Raigu wrote Relations Between Ruler and Subject, work which criticized the Emperor’s treatment of his father, and its publication created a minor scandal. The Scorpion Clan Champion Bayushi Atsuki recruited Raigu into the Gozoku conspiracy, and spent nine years to grew their power in the shadows, alongside the Imperial Scribe Shiba Gaijushiko. Discovered by his Chief Yojimbo His loyal chief yojimbo Daidoji Nobuso had thwarted three assassination attempts before Raigu had reached twenty-five years of age. However, he had noticed the time Raigu spent with the other Gozoku leaders, and eventually discovered the conspiracy. Raigu requested his seppuku, but Nobuso fled after killing three bodyguards, becoming a ronin and leader of a band that barried the Gozoku's holdings. Secrets of the Crane, p. 33 Emerald Champion and Gozoku coup In 389 Raigu won the Test of the Emerald Champion, becoming the Emerald Champion to Fujiwa's dismay. In 391 the political position of the Emperor was so weak that Atsuki forced the Gozoku to act. The Imperial Heir Hantei Kusada was invited to Bayushi lands and kidnapped. Imperial Histories, p. 44 The Emperor died shortly after. The Gozoku, eager to keep their control of the young emperor, placed his great-uncle Otomo Tohojatsu in control of the Imperial Court as Regent in Kusada's stead until he came of age. Legend of the Five Rings; Third Edition, p. 11 Crane Champion This year his father died and Raigu became the Crane champion. In 392 his attempts to use the Gozoku power in ending the Yasuki War was refused by the other leaders. Imperial Histories, p. 45 Sparrow Clan and end of the War In 400 during the negotiations over the Yasuki war's conclusion Doji Suzume, son of a minor Crane daimyo, made an errant comment over his clan's wealth. The matter was settled by Raigu ousting the courtier, his family, and their followers from the Clan. Kusada granted them lands stripped from the Crab and Crane, to form the Sparrow Minor Clan. This allowed a final conclusion to the war and removed a source of distraction and embarrassment for the Crane. Division in the Alliance Raigu still believed in the Emperor's ultimate supremacy. When a minor courtier publicy discussed the Gozoku's activities in 415 Atsuki blamed Raigu, claiming he had orchestrated the incident. A split formed within the conspiracy, leading to occasional assassinations and other dirty tactics. Imperial Histories, p. 46 Spies of the Brotherhood In 428 Kusada had enlisted monks as spies, which was discovered by the Gozoku. Three monasteries were burned down by Gozoku agents. The next year, on the 16th day of the first month of 429 the Gozoku decided to make an example of the monks and executed them as traitors. While this weakened what little power Kusada had remaining, seeing the Gozoku publicly executing a group of monks struck a serious blow to the triad's reputation within the Rokugani. Imperial Histories, pp. 47-48 Fall of the Gozoku In 435 Kusada died, and his eldest son, Hantei Soujiro, returned from Phoenix lands to take the throne. Kusada's daughter, Hantei Yugozohime, who had been fostered to the Lion Clan and trained in the ways of the Bushido and the Hantei supremacy, came to Otosan Uchi and challenged her brother to a duel for the throne. Raigu could not be the champion of Soujiro, as he was not yet the Emperor. Yugozohime easily defeated him, and with the support of the Lion and Dragon armies, she swiftly shattered the strength of the Gozoku. Imperial Histories, p. 48 Death Raigu was arrested and executed as a traitor, although Crane tradition insisted the Empress permitted him to commit seppuku. His son Doji Kakumei was proclaimed the new Crane Champion. Imperial Histories, pp. 48-49, 52 See also * Doji Raigu/Meta Category:Crane Clan Leaders Category:Leaders of the Gozoku Category:Emerald Champions